Page 13 of Sin for You

“Nah, I have a bachelorette party to go to.”

I raised my brows.

“Hey, it’s a work thing. The bride wants a ‘piercing station,’” he said, making air quotes with his fingers. He shrugged. “It’s good money.”

“I’m sure being surrounded by a bunch of women will be a terrible hardship for you.”

He winked and stood, still missing that spark, the wicked smile, then tilted his head toward Bull. “You’ll watch him for me?”

What could I say? “Yeah, of course.” Before he could leave, I motioned to his face and the split in his lip, the light bruising under his left eye. “Um…are you okay?”

“Just a stupid fight. S’all good.”

“You should put an ice pack on that eye.”

“Don’t worry about me. I always bounce back.”

He winked and walked out. Dot hustled over. “Can you help me take these over?” she asked, loading two trays with beers.

“Sure thing.”

She chewed her lip. “Last time they came, I was stuck here until two in the morning, and I have a date tonight. I was going to ask Bull if I could leave early.”

My shift was due to end in an hour, but after what I’d promised Dane, I knew I couldn’t leave. “I’ll stay,” I said to her. “You okay here for another hour?”

Her face lit up. “Oh my God, really?”

I nodded. “You can’t miss your date.”

“You’re the best. I totally owe you.”

“Hey, one of us deserves to go out and have a good time. Promise you’ll give me all the details tomorrow, though. I have to date vicariously through you.”

Dot laughed. “He has a friend.”

I finished loading my tray with beers. “I might take you up on that. I’ve started to forget what a penis looks like.”

Dot burst out laughing.

“Where are those beers?” Bull said from behind us, making me jump.

Heat hit my face immediately. With the amount of blushing I was doing lately, he was going to think I had a skin condition. And there was no way he’d missed what I said. Awesome. If I wasn’t trying to kiss him, I was talking about penises in front of him. “We’re bringing them now.”

“Dot, take those over. I’ll take this one,” he said, reaching for my tray.

“I’ve got it.”

Bull shook his head. “You look after the other tables. Dot can take care of us on her own.”

Ah, okay. That was weird. I shrugged. “Whatever you say, boss.”

Bull stilled. “Just…stay over here. I need you to look after the other tables.”

There was hardly anyone else in the bar. “You already said that.”

He grumbled something under his breath then strode back to his friends.

Dot was kept busy delivering beer to her one table, and I felt guilty spending most of my time working on a crossword I had stashed behind the bar while looking after my two tables. Both couples. Both slow drinkers.